Buying a home is an exciting adventure. You’re not only buying a new place to live. But you’re also buying the place where you'll make new memories. And because of the size of the investment for a home, protecting your new property will be important for both your finances and personal well-being. One way to do that is with a home warranty. But what is a home warranty? And why might you decide to get...
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Here is a quick helpful list to ready your property for the all-important upcoming Spring Selling Season: The Treasure Coast's Newest Title Co. Liberty Title Partners of the Treasure Coast (LTP) is one of South Florida's newest Title and Settlement Companies. Headquartered in the burgeoning area of Port St. Lucie West, LTP is founded on the latest Technology, the best People, and focused on providing...
The reason that rising rates, and rising mortgage rates are less impactful to US Housing is due to the fact that more than half of the US mortgage market was refi'd since 2020. Monetary tightening works by damping consumer demand, with credit becoming more expensive. That's having an impact on Housing markets now, because new buyers have to pay 7% or more. But the large majority of American homeowners...
Skyrocketing interest rates put some much-needed pressure on the housing market after home prices hit record highs across the nation last year. While rates did level off through January, causing some homebuyers to re-enter the market, a recent uptick in rates suggests the market is going back to a standstill. That said, the nation’s overall housing supply remains limited, as those who purchased homes in...
Tax exemptions are powerful tools to help reduce your tax burden – whether for income taxes or property taxes. In Florida, you can use the Florida homestead tax exemption to reduce your yearly property taxes. Let’s talk about what the homestead exemption is and how to use it. What is the Florida homestead exemption? Florida created the homestead exemption to help homeowners reduce their annual...
Hiring a real estate agent may seem like an added expense when selling or buying a home, but realtors play a vital role in the home-buying/selling process. An agent’s services are worth the commission to ensure your property is properly listed and marketed or to help you find a home that fits your budget and needs. And it’s tough to DIY selling your property or searching for a new home when you’re...
When thinking about buying a home, the biggest roadblock for most buyers is the down payment. How large of a down payment do you need? The answer is it depends on the loan, the lender, and your priorities. But don’t worry! The size of your home down payment may not be as big as you think. So let’s talk about what a down payment is and how much you’ll need. What is a down payment? A down payment is...
ECONOMIC UPDATE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, JONATHAN CASTELEYN: ARMS or "Buy Downs" Picking Up Steam Adjustable rate mortgages are back although they are called something else these days. As mortgage interest rates rise, adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs...now repackaged as the "Buy Down") become more popular, and they now make up 12.0 percent of total mortgage production, up from 3.3 percent in November...
ECONOMIC UPDATE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, JONATHAN CASTELEYN: No Turkey Like 2008 Because of Housing Equity First off, Happy Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. There is always something to be thankful for, so hopefully your list is long. Despite our cautious articles over recent weeks, there is no 2008 Real Estate Market Crash coming solely because of one item...Housing Equity. Even if we see a drop in...
As you navigate through the process of buying a home and applying for a mortgage, you may have the opportunity to buy mortgage discount points. To understand if this is the right decision for you, let’s talk about what discount points are, how they work, and if they’re worth the cost. What are discount points on a mortgage? Mortgage discount points allow you to lower the interest rate of your...